9 Best Nightlife in Funchal, Madeira

One of Funchal's best-kept secrets, this tiny bar doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside it's full of character. There's an enormous world map and colorful posters plastered to the walls—and it's one of the few places in town where you'll find an entire menu dedicated to craft beer, which is why the locals hang out here all night long.

The best time to head to Mercearia Dona Mécia is early evening when there's still enough space to sit at a table under the shady trees. This tiny bar stands in a white-cobbled courtyard, where smartly dressed locals stop for a quick tipple on their way home from work. Start with a cerveja and a bowl of olives before switching to poncha as you watch the locals come and go.

This popular spot is tucked away amid the traditional restaurants on the backstreets of the old town, and the friendly bar staff can mix a mean cocktail. A soundtrack of mainly '70s, '80s, and '90s music plays until the early hours, and a small terrace allows for alfresco sipping and chatting on those warm Madeira nights. The bar attracts a mixed crowd of locals and visitors, ranging from young to young at heart.

You'll find potent poncha and tear-jerking fado at this enduringly popular spot in Funchal's old town, with live performances kicking off Tuesday to Saturday around 7:30 pm.

Beneath the Casino da Madeira, this club often has live Brazilian music. There's dance music on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday in the summer starting at 11 pm (and on Friday and Saturday the rest of the year), which attracts a lively over-thirty crowd.

This quasi-English pub also shows big-screen sports and has imported beers, cocktails, theme nights, and a buzzy atmosphere.

House, hip-hop, or whichever type of music is currently in vogue is on tap at Madeira's largest nightclub in a cavernous former warehouse next to the docks. Regular guest DJs and drinks promotions shake things up on weekends. Things don't get going until after midnight.